Indicia plate with means for aligning same with a frame member

ABSTRACT

An indicia plate and bolt combination provide for both fastening and aligning of the plate relative to the surface of a frame member. The plate includes a pair of openings formed through it in spaced positions so that one opening can receive passage of a main shank portion of the bolt while the second of the openings can receive a portion of a curved section of the same bolt. The curved section is provided on the bolt by bending a portion of the bolt back onto itself by a limited amount to provide a curved section which fits into the second opening of the indicia plate.

United States Patent 1151 3,673,719

Moore, Jr. 1 July 4, 1972 541 INDICIA PLATE WITH MEANS FOR 2,015,978 10/1935 Vickers ..40/67 ALIGNING SAME WITH A FRAME MEMBER FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [72] Inventor: Junius T. Moore, Jr. Charleston w. Va- 1,067,844 5/1967 Great Britain ..85/9

[73] Assignee: The Moore Company, Charleston, W. Va. Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell Filed: y 27 1970 Assistant Examiner-Wenceslao J. Contreras Att0rneyCushma n, Darby & Cushman [211 App]. No.: 58,725

[57] ABSTRACT US. Cl. R An indicia plate and b0 combination provide for bofl fasten. [51] hit. Cl'. ..G09f 3/08 i d li in of the plate relative to the surface of a frame [58] Fleld of Search ..40/2, 2.2, 20; 85/9; 151/67 me b r The plate includes a pair of openings formed through 0 it in spaced positions so that one opening can receive passage [56] References C'ted of a main shank portion of the bolt while the second of the UNITED STATES PATENTS- openings can receive a portion of a curved section of the same bolt. The curved section is provided on the bolt by bending a 1,442,224 1/1923 K110 et portion of the bolt back onto itself by a limited amount to pro- 1,462,220 7/1923 Wiegandt 1,449,965 3/1923 Zepka 1,636,130 7/1927 Greenbaum 1,912,132 5/1933 Griesenger ..40/2 5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures vide a curved section which fits into the second opening of the indicia plate.

INDICIA PLATE WITI-I MEANS FOR ALIGNING SAME WITH A FRAME MEMBER BACKGROUND AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION This invention relates to an improved combination of elements which provides for a correct positioning, and a maintaining of position, of an indicia plate relative to a frame member.

In this art, it is known to display various forms of information on relatively small plates which can be secured to an assembly for purposes of identifying the assembly or for displaying a message thereon. Typically, a plate or tag is inscribed or printed with the required indicia, and then some means is provided for securing the plate or tag to a surface where the indicia is to be displayed. It is also known to secure such indicia plates to surfaces by means of bolt fasteners and the like, and the present invention is directed to an improved bolt-type of fastening arrangement.

It has been found that it is often difficult to correctly orient, and maintain orientation, of an indicia plate means while it is being secured to a surface by a bolt fastener device. Although, the indicia plate means can be provided with an opening therethrough for holding it on the bolt while the bolt is being secured in place, it is not always possible to maintain a preferred orientation of the indicia plate while the bolt is being tightly drawn against the mounting surface.

The present invention provides for an improved indicia plate and bolt combination which permits a very tight securement of an indicia plate to a frame member, while, at the same time, providing for a correct orientation of the plate during and after its securement to the mounting surface. The indicia plate means of the present invention is provided with a pair of spaced openings formed completely through the plate. A bolt means for securing the indicia plate to a frame member, or other mounting surface, includes a main shank section which can extend completely through one of the openings of the indicia plate so that the plate will not fall away from the mounting surface while the bolt means is being fastened thereto. The bolt means also includes a curved bend in its main shank so as to provide a second shank section which is offset, but parallel, to the main shank. The curved bend of the bolt is shaped so that a portion of the curve can be received into the second opening of the indicia plate for purposes of maintaining the indicia plate in correct orientation during final tightening of the bolt means. The bolt means contemplated by this invention is of a type which includes a looped portion at its outer end for carrying a load, and thus, the bolt means is multifunctional.

These and other advantages and features of this invention will become apparent in the more detailed discussion which follows. In that discussion reference will be made to the accompanying drawings as briefly described below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an end elevational view of the improved indicia plate and bolt combination of this invention, as secured to a channel-frame member;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an indicia plate means of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the same combination illustrated in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION The combination of the present invention is primarily intended for use in securing and aligning an indicia plate means relative to a frame member 12 by the use of a bolt means 14 which can be fastened to the frame member 12.

As shown in FIG. 1, the frame member 12 may be of a type which is referred to as a hollow channel frame member. Such a frame member is formed and shaped from stock material so as to be closed on three sides and open on a fourth side. Frame members of this type are especially suitable for assembling overhead framing units from which loads are to be suspended.

However, the invention may be applied to other types of framing assemblies or mounting surfaces, if desired.

As shown in the drawings, the indicia plate means 10 is of a size and shape to carry a message on its display surface 16. The display surface 16 may be considered a first surface of the indicia plate means, and an opposite, or second, surface 18 is shaped to conform to whatever mounting surface the plate is to be secured to. In the illustrated embodiment, the indicia plate means is essentially flat so as to conform to a flat wall surface of the frame member 12. Indicia may be placed on the front surface 16 by any suitable means, such as by engraving, printing, or by applying a label which itself carries the desired information for display thereon. The indicia plate means is provided with a pair of openings 20 and 22. These openings may be of any suitable size or shape, but preferably they are identical to each other and of a circular configuration for ease of manufacture of the indicia plate means 10.

A first opening 20 of the indicia plate means 10 functions to receive passage of a main shank portion 24 of the bolt means 14. By receiving passage of the main shank 24 completely through the opening 20, the indicia plate means can be placed on the bolt means 14 before the bolt means is secured to the frame member 12. This prevents accidental dislodgment or loss of the indicia plate while the bolt means 14 is drawn tightly into engagement with the frame member 12. The second opening 22 functions to receive only a portion of a curved section 26 of the bolt means 14. Although not labelled in FIG. 1, the openings 20 and 22 of the indicia plate 10 appear in the same vertical orientation relative to each other as is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The second opening 22 allows the indicia plate to be oriented and turned to a preferred position in the plane of the mounting surface of frame member 12 so that the message contained on its display surface 16 can be easily observed and read. Positioning of the indicia plate is accomplished by merely turning the bolt means 14 to a correct orientation. This is more easily done than by attempting to separately hold the indicia plate in place while, at the same time, securing a bolt fastener to the plate, as has been the prior art practice.

Once the indicia plate is oriented in a preferred position, the bolt means 14 can be secured to the frame member 12 by any known fastening means, such as by the use of a threaded nut 28 on a threaded end portion 30 of the bolt shank 24. A tightening of the nut 28 on the threaded end 30 causes the curved portion 26 of the bolt means to be drawn tightly against the indicia plate means 10 and the frame member 12. This results in a very tight securement of the indicia plate 10 to the frame member, and the securement is accomplished in such a way that the indicia plate is maintained in a preferred orientation during and after tightening of the bolt means 14. In the illustrated arrangement, the main shank 24 of the bolt means 14 passes through a pair of aligned openings 32 which are provided at desired locations along the length of the frame member 12. Further, the bolt means 14 is preferably of a type which includes a looped end portion 34 which can function as a load carrying means. Thus, the bolt means 14 is multifunctional in the sense that it functions to (a) secure and maintain position of an indicia plate, and (b) to carry a load.

The indicia plate means of the present invention can be made from metal or any other suitable material. The bolt means 14 can be secured to other forms of framing members if desired. It can be seen that the formation of a curved portion 26 in the bolt means 14 provides for a second shank portion 34 which is parallel to, but offset from, the main shank portion 24 of the bolt means 14. The curved portion 26 is fonned by bending a straight bolt shank back upon itself to form a curve at 36. Then, the shank is bent in an opposite direction to form the curved portion 26. Bending must be to a sufficient degree to provide for a protrusion of the curved portion 26 into the recess defined by the second opening 22 of the indicia plate means 10 when the bolt and plate are assembled together.

It will be obvious to those skilled in this art that equivalent structures and functions can be substituted for the basic invention described herein. Such equivalent structures and functions are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention, as claimed below.

What is claimed is: 1. An indicia plate means and bolt means combination which can be secured to a surface, comprising an indicia plate means which is of a shape and size to be secured to a surface by said bolt means so as to display indicia on said surface, said plate means being provided with a pair of spaced openings formed therethrough, a bolt means for securing the indicia plate means to said surface, said bolt means having, a shank section which can extend completely through a first of said openings, in the indicia plate means, for securing the indicia plate means relative to said surface when the bolt means is fastened to the surface, andincluding a curved bend in said bolt meansfor being received into a second of said openings ofthe indicia plate means, without passing completely prises a flat surface on a frame member to which said bolt means is fastened, said indicia plate being substantially flat to conform to the surface of said frame member.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said bolt means includes two shank sections which are parallel to each other but offset from one another, and wherein said curved bend is formed between the two shank sections. 

1. An indicia plate means and bolt means combination which can be secured to a surface, comprising an indicia plate means which is of a shape and size to be secured to a surface by said bolt means so as to display indicia on said surface, said plate means being provided with a pair of spaced openings formed therethrough, a bolt means for securing the indicia plate means to said surface, said bolt means having a shank section which can extend completely through a first of said openings, in the indicia plate means, for securing the indicia plate means relative to said surface when the bolt means is fastened to the surface, and including a curved bend in said bolt means for being received into a second of said openings of the indicia plate means, without passing completely therethrough, so that the indicia plate means will be positioned and maintained in a correct orientation relative to said surface in accordance with a positioning of said curved bend relative to the shank section of the bolt means.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said openings of the indicia plate means are circular in shape.
 3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said bolt means further includes a looped end portion for carrying a load.
 4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said surface comprises a flat surface on a frame member to which said bolt means is fastened, said indicia plate being substantially flat to conform to the surface of said frame member.
 5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said bolt means includes two shank sections which are parallel to each other but offset from one another, and wherein said curved bend is formed between the two shank sections. 